An Amethyst's Tale
by hecalledmecarrots
Summary: Why was Marilla so attached to that Amethyst broach? A possible story behind it
1. Chapter 1

_hello folks,_

 _So this one has been in the works for a while and I've not published it because I want it to be John and Marilla and not Anne and Gilbert, but I did want it to be similar, I had to get the characters right. For John not quite be Gilbert and Marilla not quite be Anne but for people to think 'yes, no wonder Marilla (Possible John but it was never said) could see Gilbert loved Anne, no wonder she hoped...' This is going to be a slow published one just because its slow in writing, so don't expect too much of a regular update on it. But know its there being worked on... slowly._

* * *

 _Okay_ , John thought sitting back on the tree waiting for school to be called inside, in the brief satisfaction of teasing another girl... teasing her had sent the girl some where else but _it had made her blush_. That was what was important. He was sixteen and quite bored of school, oh he never caused any trouble, not really, he just entertained himself, and everyone else with teasing was all he was doing. _Girls_ he thought _they are way too easy. Ah here comes Marilla Cuthbert_ he thought to himself the smartest girl in school, a quality himself admired but he had to tease her, even a little, how could he turn it to his favour?

"John Blythe!" She shouted at him. "How dare you make Martha cry so! And for what?!"

"Aww Marilla come on I was only teasing." He said casually. "Don't you want me to tease you?" He said with a wink.

Normally there would be some kind of blush to a girls face, but he saw no such reaction from Marilla.

"No, I do not!" Marilla said firmly. "And I think you should apologise to Martha."

John stood up from under his tree. "Oh do you now?" He flirted with a twinkle in his brown eyes.

Marilla knew what he was doing. _Just typical! Thinks because he is handsome he can get away with anything well not with me Mr!_ she thought stubbornly. He WILL go over and apologise to Martha and mean it the horrible boy!

"Yes, and I will not accept anything other, you spiteful boy!" She told him crossing her arms.

"Now hold on a minute, you don't even know me properly, you can't make a fair assessment." he told her.

"Oh can't I?" she stood her ground. "How about I tell you that none of the girls like to be teased, that it hurts, they don't like you for it, they only like you because you are handsome, well looks fade and one day you'll be a very loney old man if you don't learn to control yourself!"

She started to walk away furious at him but he grabbed her arm. What she had said had hurt him. he didn't want to end up like that. "Marilla, look I didn't mean to upset anyone and I'm willing to go over and say so... if..." he continued.

"If?" Marilla asked him.

"You let me prove to you I'm not really like that. can I walk you home?" he asked her gently.

Marilla was torn between intrigue and horror! "How dare you negotiate an apology!"

"Well alright then, I'll go over and say sorry anyway. Then can I walk you home?" he asked her quietly still holding her arm.

A smile wriggled on her mouth. Her eyes said yes and he read it right, but then suddenly her eyes changed she move her arm away from him and stuck her nose in the air walking into the school room.

John's mouth dropped in amazement! Oh he liked this girl! That Marilla Cuthbert wasn't going to be won over so easily.

John waited outside the door then saw Marilla come out. He quick footed behind her. She looked just behind her to see him.

"I didn't say you could walk me home."

"I'm not walking you home." John smiled.

"Then why are you following me?" she asked her teeth grinding.

"I'm not following you." He said. "I just happen to be walking in the same direction." He didn't talk for about a minute long enough for Marilla to turn and look a couple of times. "Don't you think since we are going in the same direction and all, a little conversation would make the walk home more interesting?" he asked.

"No I don't." Marilla replied.

"Fair enough." He said with a smile. They walked all the way back to green gables where Marilla took a few steps onto the porch she looked around and John carried on with a tip of his hat.

This aloof behaviour by Marilla continued for a week but John continued to walk just behind her tipping his hat as she turned into green gables. Marilla didn't quite understand why the Blythe boy was following her, he had to double back on himself to go home. And she eventually after the week couldn't handle the silence anymore.

"Are you going to be walking my way every afternoon Mr Blythe?" she asked him.

"As matter of fact yes I am, I've come to enjoy scenery, you really have some of the prettiest spots in the island all the way back there."

"Yes I like to think so." Marilla said to him. "Well if you will insist on walking this way..." She started.

"Oh I do." He said.

"Then I suppose there is little harm in a little conversation." She said eyeing up John.

"If you say so." He said quietly. He quick marched so he was walking beside her. " so what's your favourite lesson at school?" he asked her.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm making conversation, isn't that how you do it?" he asked her.

"Oh... yes... well I like geometry it logical and orderly. What about you?" she asked him.

"Well I dunno, I'm not as smart as you are you're on your fifth reader aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes." Marilla said happily.

"See I've only just started mine and I'm a year older than you." He sighed. "I guess I'm just not that smart, but I do like to help papa on the farm."

"Oh really?" Marilla was interested "My papa works the fields, what kind of farming do you do?"

"Mostly stocks of animals, although we do have a few fields as you know. That's not my favourite part." He admitted.

"Oh?" she asked him.

"When I was about 5 we planted some strawberry apples. Papa said one day they would make an orchard of apples we must have planted about 20 trees, we've had nothing from them yet, it's not unusual for them to take time to fruit, we're hoping this year..."

"I'm sure they will." Marilla said.

"So what are you going to do when you leave school? Are you going to enter for the queens exam?" he asked her.

"I don't think papa would allow it." Marilla said quietly.

"Well that would be a shame." He admitted. "Smart girl like you..." he trailed. They reached green gables. "Well nice talking to you." He said with a tip of his hat, she turned and watched him walk away, but today he did something different he turned his head looked at her and winked. Marilla was sure her cheeks were burning.


	2. Chapter 2

Marilla despite herself _liked_ the Blythe boy. She didn't know where he got the idea he wasn't smart from she found him very intelligent he was fast on the uptake and thought for himself. She soon found they were walking slower towards Green Gables so they could talk longer. One day two weeks later they even stopped along the way pulled out their books and Marilla helped him on a particularly difficult part of his homework which had stumped him in lesson.

He watched her out the corner of his eye. There was something oddly pretty about her. She wasn't as pretty as the Pye girls with their blond curls or as shapely as the Andrews girls with their curves . She had straight black hair she wore up in a tight ponytail with dark blue eyes and was straight up and down in statue. But she was fascinating to watch. She became animated as she talked about her subject and for once John thought he actually understood it. They went through a couple of the sums together where he gave the right answer Marilla nodded in approval with a slight grin to her face, which made John's stomach do a somersault.

He composed himself quickly then asked again "You said your papa won't allow it but are you sure you don't want to be a teacher? I mean you're really good at it."

"Do you think so?" she asked him with a glint in her eye.

"Absolutely, I mean I didn't understand this at school, Mr White just couldn't make me understand you just did it in under ten minutes." He told her. "You're very smart."

Marilla for some reason felt hurt, though she knew he was paying her a compliment. Her tender girlish heart didn't want to be noticed for being smart. "Thank you." She said instead packing away her books and standing quickly "You'll know where to come if you need help with your sums then." She said as she walked away.

John was flabbergasted, had he not just paid her a compliment? Why was she acting insulted? He quickly gathered his own books and ran after her. "Hold on Rilla, I didn't mean to hurt you, what did I say? I don't understand why you seem upset."

"Oh of course you don't, what do you know!" She snapped at him. "Goodnight Mr Blythe." She said to him.

"Rilla please, tell me." He said holding her by the arm again.

"Marilla!" an angry shout called. They both looked towards Green Gables where the shout was coming from.

"Papa." She whispered almost in fright. As John let go of her arm she continued "I'm late!" and she ran towards the house. John stayed long enough to watch from a distance, Marilla being condemned for being late and pointed in the house. His forehead furrowed. Did her papa really have so much control over them? She couldn't have been later than 15 minutes late, well a change in walking route could have easily caused her lateness.

John tried to work out the puzzle over the next two days as Marilla wouldn't acknowledge him again. What on earth had he said? Was being smart an insult he didn't know about? He continued to follow her up to Green Gables where he was starting to leave the property he saw Matthew working out on the field alone.

"Matthew." He acknowledged brightly. Matthew only a year older then he was he hadn't known him very well in school but Matthew had left school as soon as was legally allowed to work on the farm.

"Hallo John." He said quietly. "You walked Marilla home again, that's awfully nice of you." He said.

"The pleasure is all mine when she talks to me." John told him. "Say Matthew, has she said anything? Have I upset her in some way?"

Matthew sighed and shook his head. "Marilla doesn't talk much about her feelings, but then, she doesn't have any women folk to talk to about em. Papa's not much into…" Matthew trailed. "What did you say?" he asked John.

"I only said how smart she was and she got all upset and hasn't talked to me since." John said confused. "Don't you think being smart is good?"

"Well yes I do." He agreed. "Not many girls round here are in particular, you think Marilla is?"

John's smile came to life his brown eyes sparkled. "Oh yes I do. She's the smartest girl in school."

Matthew nodded. Could John actually be falling in love with his sister. "She's not the prettiest girl then." He asked intrigued.

"Prettiest?" John echoed thinking about it. "Well she's different from the others, she doesn't blend in, I've not seen black hair like hers and blue eyes, where does she get that from?" He asked.

"Marilla looks like my mamma." Matthew said quietly. "I guess Marilla doesn't remember much about her, see, but she looks like mama, not that papa would say."

"Was your mama pretty too?" John almost asked in passing.

"So you do think she's pretty?" Matthew asked him.

"Of course I do but…" John trailed and a smile appeared on his face. "I've got it, I know why she's mad. Thanks Matthew." He said running off, "Nice talking to you!" he called.

"I know why you're mad." John smiled as they started to walk towards green gables.

Marilla looked at him her eyesbrows raised then she continued to walk without a word.

John smirked and followed her "You're not insulted that I called you smart, you're upset that I didn't say you were pretty."

Despite the truth in this Marilla ignored him a little tug on her heart playing with her to talk to him.

"it's a real shame you're focused on looks, I feel you ought to know, not every boy only likes a girl who is good looking."

"I'm hardly looking for a boy's opinion on my looks." She said to him.

"Sure you are, that's why you got upset. You're thinking I'm the closest thing you have to a friend who's a boy and if I don't think you're pretty who else is going to?"

"You can read minds now can you Mr Blythe?" She asked him.

"Not generally but I can yours right now, over this. There's no point denying it its true." John replied smiling. "It's a shame really, if you weren't so vain I'd be telling you right now just how pretty I thought you were."

She stopped stunned. "You… what?" she said looking at him.

His mouth upturned a little as he stood in front of her. "I think, Marilla Cuthbert that you are the prettiest and smartest girl in Avonlea." He slipped behind her ear a tiny wild daisy, he kissed her on the cheek with a chuckle "and possibly the sweetest too." He said with his eyes dancing. He shook his head as he chuckled more "maybe you should learn to take a compliment." He said quietly as he decided to be the one to walk away this time. He turned back and watched her for a second as her cheeks turned to a flush. He smiled and bit his lip. Plenty of girls had blushed before but this time… it felt different. He quickly slipped into the woods very aware he didn't want anyone to notice… he was blushing too.


	3. Chapter 3

Five months later John was walking towards Green Gables. John and Marilla had become better friends in that time. John was persistent in pursuing a friendship with Marilla, during the school term he had brought her a flower a day from the fields slipping them to her numerous ways. He couldn't help it. He just wanted to see that slight smile on her face as she turned to him he shrugged and winked at her each time, they both knew it was him. Today was Saturday and a rare warm crisp air hung over an early September Avonlea, perfect picnic weather and John wanted to spend it with Marilla. He liked her, she had a dry sense of humour which made her eyes sparkle when persuaded and he hated to admit it, but, he found her company preferable to some of the boys. He had finally finished school, although the last three month or so had been the most interesting school days of his life. He thought shamefully how if he had paid attention to Marilla earlier maybe he would have wanted to impress her with how smart he really could be, maybe he would have spent less time pulling practical jokes and more time studying. Words echoed round his mind of the conversation they had one day.

 _"I'm not as smart as you and you know it." He had said._

 _"Honestly John, I don't know where you get such a low opinion of yourself. School is just one kind of smart. Matthew is a better farmer then even my papa is, I'd trust him with a farm before I trusted Mr White and Mr White is smart isn't he? You're one of the smartest boys I know, would we be able to talk the way we do if you weren't smart?"_

He smiled at the memory. He'd been noticed by the smartest girl in school, and she liked him for something other than his looks, she had been right in what she said, looks could fade, his probably would with time. But their substance, who they were underneath it all, that was what could make them happy. It was something that he knew of course but Marilla had brought it out in him.

He approached Green Gables door and knocked. John was a little taken aback when Mr Cuthbert answered the door.

"Eh? Hm? What do you want?" he asked John.

"Good Morning Mr Cuthbert, I was wondering is Marilla free to come for a walk?" he said politely.

"Marilla?" He had questioned him. "Has a lot of responsibility round here." He said gruffly. "I would have thought a young man like you would have the same." He looked at John. "You're a Blythe aren't you?" he said recognising the handsome features and large dark eyes from John's father.

John felt a little tongue tied. "Yes sir, I'm John Blythe sir." He said quietly. "I do have responsibilities sir, but a lot of them are seen to early in the morning sir, I milked our cows and cleaned the hen shed, brought in the eggs, I went up to the fields and got in the crops to feed the cows and then went into the pig…"

"Alright alright I get it, so you're a hard working boy then? Emmm." He said eying John up to assess him.

"If it helps when we come back I could help with any chores Marilla might need to…" he started.

"Marilla!" Mr Cuthbert shouted through the house so loud it made John stop in his tracks.

Marilla came into the kitchen John could tell flustered with what she was doing "I'm sorry papa its taking so long but I think I've fixed up the material so that it…" she looked up "John!" she said surprised going a shade of pink looking perplexed at him, "What are you…?" she started.

"This young man wants to take you for a walk." Mr Cuthbert told his daughter.

"Oh?" Marilla said with a spark of hope in her voice but it barely made it to the surface, she knew the likelihood was her father would refuse, despite her having completed all her chores hours ago, except for this one.

"Em." Her father grunted. "You might as well go." He said to Marilla, whose face John notice lit up like a Christmas tree. She hurried getting a shawl talking twice as fast as normal talking to her father "There's ham in the panty and plenty of cheddar and pickles, and I baked some fresh bread this morning and I did a plum pudding…"

"Red current wine?" he asked her.

"Is next to the cordial in the green bottle." She said quietly. "and let Matthew know…" she trailed.

"He's a smart lad he'll figure it out." He cut her off. "Off with you before I change my mind." He told her.

"Yes papa, thank you papa." She said.

"Mind you behave like a lady." He said as she walked out.

* * *

They rounded a corner in the woods where to Marilla's surprise lay a picnic blanket with basket. She looked to John.

"You planned this?" she asked him pleasantly surprised but not caving in and fully smiling.

John shrugged and offered his hand for her to sit he helped her down then sat himself. "I was hardly going to ask your father, he's a scary man." He admitted with a small chuckle.

"Papa's not…" she started to defend her Papa but then found she couldn't finish her sentence. "Anyway it would have seemed too much like a date and he would never have allowed that." She ended.

"Seemed like?" John said half-jokingly half-flirtingly.

"Is it a date?" Marilla asked him.

He shrugged again. "It can be if you want it to be." He said almost shy of himself. He looked to Marilla who gave a shy laugh.

"Do you want it to be a date?" Marilla asked him.

"Yes." He said quietly but honestly and firmly.

She smiled to the full and looked at him. "Well…" she trailed "if that's what you want?"

They smiled shyly at each other before John snapped out of it "Close your eyes." He told her.

"What? Why?" she asked him.

"Trust me and close your eyes." He said quietly. She looked at him with an untrusting eye then closed her eyes. He took a moment and Marilla was wondering what he was doing she was about to open her eyes when he said "Open your mouth." He said to her.

"What? John?" She questioned.

"What am I going to do poison you on our first date? Open your mouth!" he said with a chuckle.

She eventually caved opening her mouth where she found something sweet being placed in her mouth. She started to chew on it opening her eyes "An Apple… Those are delicious." She said finally looking at him.

"OUR Strawberry apples." John said with a smile.

She smiled widely. "I told you they would finally come out."

"Who better to share it with." He said gently. He gave her the apple then picked one out for himself, lay back on the picnic blanket and ate it.

Marilla watched as he lay back and wondered on John. He was handsome, no one could deny it, he could have any girl he wanted, why on earth was he choosing to be around her all the time?


End file.
